I know we all miss Lauryn but somebody’s gotta say it. Before you flood the comments on this site calling me a “hater” among other names hear me out. I’m not taking anything away from Nicki Minaj. She should at least get props for reigniting an interest in female rappers. She’s gorgeous and her flow and delivery is top notch. But she isn’t saying a damn thing worth listening to. You mean to tell me the best she can come up with is “Cause I’m a ninja, kick it Cowabunga time?” Seriously.

I’m not saying she isn’t entertaining. Because she is. But we’ve seen this all before. Everything Nicki Minaj is doing Lil’ Kim has done twice. Colored wigs, Lil’ Kim did it first. Sex sells, yeah Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown did it better. Even the biggest Nicki Minaj stan can’t see her for nothing more than a rerun of a show we’ve seen time after time. If you’re looking for an alternative to female rap’s “savior” here’s seven female rappers better than Nicki Minaj. And no Keys isn’t one of them.

1. Jean Grae
Jean Grae is lyrically the closet thing we have to Lauryn Hill. On the microphone Jean Grae would eat Nicki, no pun intended. Smart, sassy and lyrically devastating, Jean can’t be touched.

MP3: Jean Grae – Don’t Rush Me (Right Click + Save Target As)

2. Shawnna
I’ve always loved Shawnna. She’s street but lyrically on point. With a new deal with T-Pain’s Nappy Boy label hopefully she’ll pop like a hit record. One thing is for sure, she still has it regardless.

MP3: Shawnna – Nappy Boys (Right Click + Save Target As)

3. Amanda Blank
There’s nothing wrong with selling sex. If you got it, flaunt it. Every female rappers has spit at least a line or two about sexuality. It’s that power of women. But if that’s all you’re gonna be about at least be lyrically good. Amanda Blank does what Nicki does with loads more creativity.

MP3: Amanda Blank – Lemme Get Some (Right Click + Save Target As)

4. Tiye Phoenix
I feel bad that I just got into Tiye Phoenix. She reminds me a bit of MC Lyte. This is an emcee who eats mics for fun.

MP3: Tiye Phoenix – Killin Everybody (Right Click + Save Target As)

5. Rah Digga
Everybody knows Digga demolishes tracks with a husky voice that makes male rappers get a little nervous at the start her bars.

MP3: Rah Digga- Warning Shots (Right Click + Save Target As)

6. Ms. Jade
Ms. Jade hasn’t disappeared completely. Her work on projects like Amon Tobin’s Two Fingers album has kept her name bubbling with indie crowds. One thing hasn’t changed: she still spits.

MP3: Ms. Jade – Boom Boom Tap (Right Click + Save Target As)

7. Corinne Stevie
Corinne Stevie has been putting in work in the underground Atlanta scene for a minute. While other chicks play off raw sex, Corinne plays off her raw skills.

MP3: Corinne Stevie – Grace Jones (Right Click + Save Target As)

If you were in Atlanta last weekend and didn’t make it out to “Drip,” the launch party for The-Socials.com you missed out. Click here to see what you missed. And now you can hear what you missed. Download the official mixtape, mixed by Art Nouveau Magazine Editor in Chief Kendrick Daye. The mix features mixes of Lady Gaga, Roisin Murphy, Rye Rye, David Guetta, Peaches, and more. It’s not the entire dance revolution that was heard at the party, but it’s close enough. Download link and tracklisting below.

Download: An-Mag.com & The-Socials.com present “Drip: The Mixtape”

Tracklisting:
1. Rye Rye – Bang Bang (Stanton Warriors Remix)
2. David Guetta & Wynter Gordon – Toyfriend
3. Corinne Stevie & M.I.A. – Club_Kidz (GotDion Remix)
4. Peaches – Serpentine
5. Ludacris feat Ciara & Pitbull – How Low (Remix)
6. Britney Spears – 3 (DubStep Remix)
7. 8Ball & MJG – Relax & Take Notes
8. Kanye West & Sade- Say You Will/Cherish The Day (Mashup)
9. Sade – Soldier of Love
10. Rihanna feat Young Jeezy – Hard
11. Noise Porn starring Koohl Cardi, Ben Carson & Corinne Stevie – Noise Porn
12. Ms. Jade & Corinne Stevie- Better Get That (Remix)
13. Lady Gaga & Beyonce- Telephone (Remix)
14. Timbaland feat Justin Timberlake & Twista – Telephone (Remix)
15. Rihanna – Sexuality
16. Roisin Murphy – Let Me Know
17. LMFAO – I Am Not A Whore
18. Solange – Would Have Been The One
19. Theopilus London – Always Love U
20. Kelis – Acapella
21. J*DaVeY – Duh Duh Duh
22. Basement Jaxx feat Maleka, Kelis & Chipmunk – Scars
23. David Guetta feat Kid Cudi – Memories
24. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Chew Fu Remix)

Like I said in my post for Best Albums of 2009, the quality of music in 2009 was amazing. Narrowing down a list of hundreds of songs to just 34 was tough. But here they are, our favorite songs of 2009.

34. Theophilus London- Humdrum Town
The hook for Chris Cornells’ “Part Of Me” starts with “That Bitch Ain’t a Part of me.” From that moment on you know this is a song worth hearing.

33. Chris Cornell – Part of Me
The hook for Chris Cornells’ “Part Of Me” starts with “That Bitch Ain’t a Part of me.” From that moment on you know this is a song worth hearing.

32. Anjulie – Boom
While Nelly Furtado is doing whatever she’s doing now Anjulie has quitely stepped into her shoes. “Boom” is a smokey track that’s bound to be stuck in your head after hearing it once.

31. FatGums x Bambu – Strapped
FatGums and Bambu make a great duo. Their song “Strapped,” which features a creative vocal sample from Biggie is a standout track for 2009.

30. Melanie Fiona – Give It To Me Right
Melanie Fiona’s “Give It To Me Right” took me by surprise. The sample is so recognizable I didn’t think anyone could make a dope track out of it. Leave it to this vocalist to do just that. It has all the sass and punch to make Beyonce blush.

30. Pet Shop Boys – More Than A Dream
Pet Shop Boys still can make a credible dance-pop song after all these years. “More Than A Dream” should have been a single from their album Yes.

29. Muse – Uprising
Muse frontman Matt Bellamy knows exactly how to take angst and make an anthem out of it. It helps that his voice is as pure as water. “Uprising” is one of the best rock joints of 2009.

28. Tom Foolery – Close Up
I first heard this joint on Bangladesh’s mixtape Passport Music and it’s quickly become a favorite. The track is dope and finds Foolery, who I think is a rapper, outcrooning R&B dudes like Trey Songz, Usher & Drake. Oops. Anyways, this is a pretty dope jam.

27.Black Eyed Peas – Meet Me Halfway
will.i.am is a pop genius and this song proves it. “Meet Me Halfway” is a pop jam that finds Fergie channeling the best of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna.

26. N*E*R*D feat Santigold -Soldier
A N*E*R*D and Santigold collaboration is inevitable and after hearing “Soldier” undeniable.

25. Shannel feat Lil’ Wayne – Play in my Band
Shannel is Lil’ Wayne’s other female artist, and in my opinion, she’s alot doper than Nicki Minaj. Her track “Play in my Band” has the edginess Rihanna tries to have in her new music.

24. Amon Tobin/Ms. Jade – Better Get That

Most people have never heard of Ms. Jade or this song. But it’s doper than dope! Ms. Jade is a beast on the mic and Amon Tobin is a beast on the beats.

23. Q-Tip feat Lil’ Wayne, Raekwon & Busta Rhymes – Renaissance Rap (Remix)
I love hearing emcees eat a beat with the hunger of a homeless man. Q-Tip’s remix of “Renaissance Rap” finds Lil’ Wayne, Busta & Raekwon lyrically demolishing a track.

22. GotDion – Yer Dumb (I’m Fly)
GotDion is a producer/rapper from VA and has promise. If this track “Yer Dumb (I’m Fly)” is any indication, we hope to hear more from him.

21. Gucci Mane feat Plies – Wasted
Gucci Mane is catchy and this song is undeniable.

20. J*DaVeY- Duh, Duh, Duh
Though some people don’t like J*DaVeY doing something this pop, I love it. It’s catchy and fun.

19. Ben Carson – Temptation
Ben Carson is bringing back black rock! “Temptation” finds itself in rotation at least once a day in my home.

18. Jay-Z- Venus Vs. Mars
While Blueprint 3 was an utter disappointment it had it’s two moments. This song was one of them. Makes me reminiscence on days when Jay was the master of wordplay.

17. Imogen Heap – 2 – 1
It’s Imogen Heap, what else is there to say?

16. Major Lazer – Pod de floor’ feat. VYBZ Kartel
I could make a separate list for best beats of 2009 and this would be number one. Major Lazer and VYBZ Kartel bought it with this track.

15. Kid Cudi – Heart of a Lion
This is my theme song of 2009! Kid Cudi knows how to make anthems.

14. La Roux- Colorless Color
This song is a mix of Depeche Mode and Duran Duran, two of my favorite 80′s bands. La Roux’s voice and lyrics make the track that much more enjoyable.

13. Drake feat Trey Songz & Lil’ Wayne – Successful
It took me a while to get into Drake. I’m still not there, but this song is undeniable, whether it’s Trey Songz’ catchy hook or Wayne’s sick but short verse at the end “Successful” is a dope song.

12. Shakira feat Wyclef Jean – Spy
Wyclef needs to make an entire album with Shakira. I swear when these two get into the studio they make magic, and “Spy” is no different.

11. Peaches – Lose You
Who knew Peaches could get soft? “Lose You” is pseudo-ballad that Madonna would have killed to sing.

10. Dirty Money feat The Notorious B.I.G. – Angels
Leave it to Diddy to still be reaping off the success of Biggie. But I can’t deny, “Angels” is a dope track. It’s always refreshing to hear Biggie’s voice, and over this old Jigga beat, this is a winner.

09. Lil’ Wayne – Run This Town (Freestyle)
Wayne is the best rapper alive and this song is proof.

08. Blac Waldo – Kanye West is Dead
Kanye has become a punchline–again. And Blac Waldo has capitalized off it. This song is crazy.

07. Rihanna feat Young Jeezy – Hard
If Rihanna were really hard Chris Brown would be on Diane Sawyer saying “Eff Love.” But, this track is crazy regardless. And Jeezy kills his verse, subliminal shots at Gucci Mane and all.

06. Noisettes- Never Forget You
Until Amy Winehouse comes out with a new album Noisettes will have to do. “Never Forget You” is one of my favorite tracks of their albumWild Young Hearts.

05. Lady GaGa- Bad Romance
Lady GaGa is a free bitch baby! “Bad Romance” gets props for adding everything into one song and still being dope! This is art pop!

04. Amanda Blank feat Santigold – A Love Song
Amanda Blank has been an Art Nouveau favorite for a while now. I’ve been bumping this song since a snippet appeared on the Santigold and Diplo mixtape a while back. The full and finished version is just as good.

03. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Runaway
The voice, the lyrics, the beat, it’s all haunting yet alluring. Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a winner with this song.

02. Janalle Monae- Come Alive
Janelle Monae tries her best James Brown impression on this song and it works. Who else is making music like this? Nobody. I doubt Miss Monae could ever be duplicated.

01. Basement Jaxx feat Maleka, Kelis & Chipmunk- Scars
From the time this song starts its epic. Everything about this song is perfect, the beat, the lyrics, the features! Basement Jaxx prove they are geniuses at dark pop!